Mirrabooka Investments Limited

Yesterday the Australian sharemarket gained as the Chinese government released a report showing that China's exports jumped 17.7 per cent in December. The Australian dollar was stronger on Monday on the positive Chinese trade data and improved domestic jobs data. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index advanced 38.6 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 4950.7, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 39 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 4981.2.

On Friday, the Australian market closed higher led by banking and mining stocks. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 30.8 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 3794.1 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 29.2 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 3790.6 points. For the week, both benchmarks lost about 0.9 per cent.